“I’m not connected to this. Except through Gena’s weird obsession with blaming me for her perceived failures. She’s so busy obsessing about those past failures and how to punish me for it. I don’t believe she’s planning her future career moves.” Josalyn didn’t want to connect the dots. Jake got it. She felt scared of all the unknowns. He moved closer to her and put his hand out to touch her so he could comfort her. The blue silk wrapper she wore felt warm and smooth to his touch. Jake knew she’d need to get dressed so they could leave. With limited time, the conversation grew crucial. He learned so much about her he couldn’t let it go. It seemed late would be too late. “What about you Josalyn? I have heard none of your plans, either.” Jake believed her response held great importance for her life and mindset. He trusted her for a positive outlook, only he had the power. Jake only needed to see the direction they needed to go in. He felt lost, as if traveling thr
“I told them. Why do you think I boosted the security here? Why did I want you to leave the city? So, my people can control the situation. Getting married up there will have less chance of someone sabotaging it or going unnoticed if they attempt to harm you. Anyway, it’s beautiful. Can you imagine the photos? I’m sure people will be jealous for years after they see our secret getaway and we won’t tell them where it is.” Jake said. He smiled, knowing she’d always admired the grounds of the old inn for their beauty. But when they first married, they didn’t have the money to rent the inn or its grounds for their wedding. This time she’d have her dream wedding and not whatever they could scrape together. “Jake, this could harm not only me.” What about you? If you say this money is attractive to Gena. They might attempt to take it from you. Like blackmail.” They were back to her fears. He grasped her tendency to worry and its origin. Fear had consumed Josalyn’s mind
“We’ve got that love. Can I mention that our space allows for family growth? Jake tried to make it sound like a realtor trying to sell the property to her. It surpassed mere property. He desired a life to accompany it. His life before independence. “If we have a family. I’m still not sure about that. What if you decide to leave again? You did better without me around.” Josalyn wanted to go along with his perfect vision of the future, but she’d felt the smack of reality once too often for her to ignore it. She had to admit this was her desired long-term settlement. The house, though another, needed demolition before repairs. Her thoughts tangled with this. The new house won’t feel identical. Not to her. “Josalyn, stop it. I didn’t do better. I lost my father. My work was all that I had. Now I feel like my priorities have changed, and I just want us to have a second chance.” Jake couldn’t handle hearing this now. He would not leave. He lea
“Okay, that’s good to know. Shouldn’t we bring in the bags?” Josalyn pointed to the bags. However, he desired to give her a tour beforehand.“It’s okay. There’s plenty of time for that. Remember, we aren’t alone here. We have staff for that.” Jake said. He found himself reminded Josalyn of that several times a day that they had staff for various jobs. He could see her getting better. She’d not fainted since that first day or had anything else gone wrong. But he’d tried his best to keep her from situations that could harm her. He’d see some of the horrible reactions and the long-term damage it caused. He wouldn’t allow it to happen to Josalyn. She had plenty in her life. Jake held the door for Josalyn as she entered, and he saw her reaction as soon as she saw the interior of the cottage. He would continue to call the thirteen bedrooms and nine bathrooms house a cottage. It now has both indoor and outdoor kitchens, along with a wine cellar and a pantry. He could see them here f
“I’ve got Nunzio setting up some heavy boundaries for when we’re married for me. I think he’s talking to Ben about it. So, he should call you soon to talk about setting them up for you as well. Or do you mean the Gena mess? She’s trying to ruin your reputation and we’ll deal with her. I want to enjoy these surprises and maintain our cheerful mood. I want the surprises to overshadow everything else in our lives.” Jake gave her a bright smile, but she knew its cause came from his nervousness. She could almost see him vibrating from his excitement. They reached the master bedroom, where Jake opened the two closets. Inside, one of them appeared full of clothing. “It’s full.” “I saw what you wore and much of it wasn’t up to par. As we marry, we must always appear good during our honeymoon, as we can’t predict when someone will capture us on camera. I don’t want you to feel self-conscious. It’s my wedding present to you. Everything you could want. I had
Josalyn noticed the changes in Jake, and she tried to accept it. His words explained everything to her he’d done. How much he’d thought of her when he fixed up the old cottage. It wasn’t just an old lakeside house now. It became an oasis for them. He’d created spaces for her and himself that he’d wanted to share with her. Her biggest struggle was the spaces he built for nonexistent children. It reminded her of the baby she’d lost even as she learned she was pregnant with them. She hadn’t informed Jake of her miscarriage, as he was eager to meet her after leaving the hospital, as he desired a divorce. She felt her strength drain away, leaving her powerless and vulnerable. The worst part was his lack of concern for her whereabouts or her physical condition. Josalyn suffered from anemia and a few other issues that caused her body to reject her pregnancy. She’d struggled with it. Between the damage to her organs by her late diagnosis and the lack of iro
“Figuring out the word from the Studio and Gena’s deception wasn’t easy. The last time she conned me into dating her she lied to me and said she’d learned a valuable lesson. After I broke it off with her, I returned to Empire Nights. I got the surprise of seeing her kiss our agent like his tonsils were the key to her finding the fountain of youth. She didn’t hide any of it. I noticed a pattern in their behavior when I saw them together. She’d learned her lesson alright and that was how she’d hide her affairs better from me while not hiding them from everyone else. Her idea to use my pregnancy claim to win me back is absurd. We haven’t slept together in so long that any pregnancy she has won’t be mine.” Josalyn believed him. His anger felt genuine to her. He didn’t convince her, but tried to figure out how Gena had worked out that he was the father. His face screwed up as he fell silent while he tried to comprehend what he knew. “Jake, support the child, not her. She doesn’t
Josalyn had to adjust again to being called Rebecca. She’d accustomed herself again to being Josalyn to Jake. It felt odd going back to being Rebecca Jones, star of Empire Nights. Nothing changed for her. Her two identities felt as if they were distinct individuals. Appearing betrayal between them appeared undeniable. It felt off. Or deceitful. Josalyn knew many performers used stage names and, she’d have to get over this guilt. It made little sense she’d had other names, and they were behind her. “Ms. Jones, I have several gowns here that appear similar to what you described and a couple the Studio Representative insisted I bring.” The head of the wardrobe department said as she setup a rack and arranged several garment bags on them. Each one varied in their volume, and Josalyn assumed those could contain the larger, more voluminous dresses. The last time Josalyn got married, she’d worn a cream-colored mini dress she owned. They couldn’
“I lost our first baby. It’s my fault Everett didn’t know about it. I didn’t tell him because it would’ve killed him and I feared he’d think I was using it as an excuse to cling to him. If I told him he’d want to know why it happened and then blame me for it. I was too tired from losing the baby that I’ve agreed to almost anything. Mentioning pregnancy, I indeed recall feeling the same way before. Rebecca leaned against the door jamb and gave a heavy sigh. Hopefully, this time yields better results. Can’t do it again.” “Then I’ll go call them now and see if I can catch the receptionist before she leaves for lunch. I hope it’s a baby and nothing bad.” Jill left the dressing room and the other to speak between themselves. “A baby…” Rebecca sounded like she was stunned. “Oh, good grief. I hope the doctor was correct when he told you I could still have children.” “We’ll find out soon enough.”(SEVEN MONTHS LATER- MERCY GENERAL HOSPITAL, LABOR, AND DELIVE
“Are you alright love? Should I call your doctor for an appointment?” Everett asked Rebecca when she left the bathroom of the dressing room they now shared at work. He looked at her with concern in his eyes. “I don’t know. I’m nauseous but there’s no pain. “Perhaps I’m coming down with something,” Rebecca said, her pale face lacking its usual smile. “This will pass soon too.” “Perhaps we should secure the appointment now, rather than later. We’ll play it safe and catch whatever it is early. Why don’t you go sit down and relax? I know our lunch will arrive at the set soon. Then we can enjoy it and see how you’re feeling.” “The truth is I’m a little tired and nauseous. That’s it. No headaches, no pain, or weakness. There’re no mystery rashes, and my breathing is fine. I can’t find even a simple mystery bruise, and no strange bouts of acne. My hair isn’t falling out like it was, at least not yet.” “Can we sit and list your exper
Coming out of the interview with Everett, Josalyn sat down an hour later with the man she knew was her father. She’d spent hours researching stories and coming up with questions. The writers added questions to the lists well in advance. The questions went through the Studio’s legal department and her father’s legal team went through them as well. It became a lengthy-drawn-out process because of all the legal complications. Everett insisted on staying with her for support and sat in the dark shadows off to the side, away from the cameras, watching everything. He’d become protective and a little obsessive of Rebecca, but at this point she didn’t mind so much. Rebecca still basked in his attention and his attention hadn’t become intrusive yet in her eyes. Something had changed and Rebecca knew that. Her father sat there and shifted in his seat. He didn’t appear comfortable, and she’d not hesitate to say he appeared nervous. She attributed it to his pri
(SIX WEEKS AFTER THEIR WEDDING) Everett took a seat beside Rebecca on a sound stage. He took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. Then his smile changed from the genuine one he gave her to the smile he’s known for when he looked at the interviewer. This was their explanation of events. Legal advice urged them to take a preemptive measure to defend against Gena’s potential slander. “Thank you for being here Mr. Stone and Ms. Jones.” Ken Douglas said to them as he settled into his own seat after greeting them. The cameras were rolling and picking up everything. “Thank you, Mr. Douglas. But it’s Mrs. Stone now.” Everett said to Ken. He corrected the interviewer before Rebecca could. “Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t realize you changed your name.” Ken Douglas looked at his notes, already off kilter with this interview. “It’s a recent development. My wife and I decided it would better reflect our leaving the past in the past.
“Morning, everyone. Thank you for settling down so quickly. Let’s start immediately. I’m afraid we have had several events in the past few weeks and several rather disturbing events last night.” Surprisingly, the Studio handler, who never attended a meeting like this before, assumed control. He let the comments and surprises fill the room. “It’s with a heavy heart that I must tell everyone that Yuri will not return to the set as he and his driver were found early yesterday morning dead in their cell. The cause of their deaths isn’t known, but suicide has not been ruled out yet.”Shock spread among everyone, including Josalyn. Though she knew the reputation of Gena’s family and two suicides this early didn’t sound right to her. Gena’s family had conflicting feelings about the women in their family. Hurting their own women was one thing, but an outsider doing so was another. Then there’s the baby. She wondered if they could have killed Yuri not for harming Gena, but for caus
They had two weeks for their honeymoon. Jake promised to arrange for something better later. He wouldn’t tell her where they’d go. It would be a surprise. He believes it’s important to be nearby for her health since her recent injuries stopped her from doing physical activities in a foreign country. If something happened, he didn’t trust the medical system of a foreign nation. Jake let her decide if she would show up at the studios without her wig. It’s odd to see the reaction she received when they arrived at the gate this morning. “Well, here we go.” Jake’s choice of driver eased their way through security and fans. They’d been lying in wait for them. Nunzio and Ben, both warned them that there’d been clashes between two groups of fans. One group supported their marriage, and a second group opposed it. “Yeah, I wonder what they’ll do when they learn we were married before this.” Josalyn asked Jake, “What they would make of that?” Their
Jake and Josalyn relaxed and enjoyed their usual activities at the cottage. Without the crowd of friends, of course. This time they weren’t window shopping for antiques. They could go through the shops and buy whatever they wanted. Though Jake found Josalyn hesitant to use his money. He couldn’t risk lowering his guard. He had to watch her to see what caught her eye and then ensure that he purchased it. These pieces weren’t for the cottage, but for their city house. Once they completed the renovations, they needed to refurnish the entire house. They needed everything from the floorboards to the ceiling. They won’t understand everything right away, but they can start. Afterwards, he would hire a professional to finish the space. “Jake, over here. Look at this. I love these cabinets; wouldn’t they make perfect nightstands for the master bedroom?” “Found a blanket box bench over there. Place it at the bed’s foot. It’s not just a box but has several dra
The next morning, they ate their breakfast on the back deck overlooking the lake and enjoyed the silence of nature as the sun rose. Josalyn forgot the joy of sitting without worrying about schedules, scripts, or getting through the day. Jake’s presence was soothing rather than grating on her nerves. She viewed him differently last night, absorbing new information about her long-held experiences. Her fears were unfounded sometimes and in others she found herself exposed to far too much. This time, when she tried to bring up the problems, Jake stood with her, and they formed a consensus. With that consensus came a plan. The plan’s activation is uncertain, but it would provide clarity to the public. They agreed not to involve the Studio’s PR handler. They’d handle it alone and let the chips fall where they may. She came clean about her finances and today they’d hand them to Jake’s family’s accounting firm and allow them to sort out her debts. Jake wasn
Josalyn lay on their bed at Jake’s teasing mercy. His hungry gazed followed his hands, and he toyed with her body. He’d just told her he wanted to see her orgasm before he satisfied himself. Then, without missing a beat, his fingers found her depths and thrust into her core, searching for that spot that would send her spiraling out of control. Her breath became heavy. “I want to share this pleasure with you. Let me touch you, Jake.” “Later. Now focus on what I’m doing and enjoy it. Breathe and focus. His other hands slid along her inner thighs with gentle caresses that left her thighs shaking and her mind forgetting to breathe. Along with her rich moans, the room filled with the slick sound of his fingers thrusting in and out of her. Josalyn knew he loved to hear what his actions did to her body. “Jake, oh god. Please I want to touch you.” “You know the rules love. I want to start tonight off right. Come on my hand. Show me h